Weird Watch Wednesday: The Tuscar From McGonigle
John McGonigle © Harry Sk Tan
As you well know by now, we love introducing you to new and original timepieces here on The Watch Lounge. Well this week’s piece from Irish watchmakers McGonigle is so new and original that there aren’t even photos available yet! However, given this young brand’s success with their first piece, a superb watch featuring a stunning tourbillon complication which received critical acclaim for the purity of its design and function as well as for it’s high standard of workmanship and finish, this latest creation promises to impress.
McGonigle Watches
It’s not often you come across Irish watchmaking brothers, however, John and Stephen have forged quite a name for themselves in the exclusive circle of independent manufacturers. Whilst you may not immediately recognize their names, chances are you would have seen their work in some form or another. Both men spent many years working on complicated timepieces with some of the most prestigious brands in Switzerland, before deciding to launch their own brand, “McGonigle Watches” in 2007 at Baselworld.
The Tuscar
Now they have embarked on the next step of their journey with the announcement of their newest creation. Named the “Tuscar”, in reference to a group of rocks with a lighthouse that is often the first part of Ireland seen by those approaching by sea from the west, this new piece features the brand’s new time-only in-house calibre movement.
And believe us, this in-house caliber has some serious credibility.
“First-look” – A drawing of the new Tuscar from McGonigle © McGonigle
“To ensure the success of our new calibre, we teamed up with the legendary Alberto Papi, one of Switzerland’s finest designer constructors, to help refine our movement design and specifications.” says Stephen McGonigle.
That’s Alberto Papi, as in Renaud et Papi. Need we say more?
Retaining the qualities that were so successful in their tourbillon, including its distinctive design elements and transcendental levels of fine finishing, the brothers have taken these unique features and distilled them to their pure essence in the Tuscar.
According to John McGonigle, the intention was to create a “time-only watch with a high focus on excellent timekeeping; a substantial power reserve; solid reliability; and with superb finishing and decoration. The design had to have a clean coherent style and we wanted the principle mechanical elements visible on the dial side. To achieve all of that we had to develop our own movement from the ground up.”
Sounds amazing!
The Tuscar launches with a subscription-only limited edition series of 10 pieces called, “One of Ten”, featuring a white gold case and a transparent sapphire dial revealing all of the subtleties of the stunningly finished movement beneath.
The boy’s first creation, the McGonigle Tourbillon © Ian Skellern
As a subtle point of further differentiation each watch will be marked “One of Ten” rather than traditional method of individual numbering. This first series will be distinctive from the models to follow by virtue of materials used in the movement, the design and shape of certain bridges, the type of finish of individual parts and the engraving.
The Final Word
The McGonigle brothers are true independent watchmakers. The focus is completely on quality, originality and craftsmanship. Nothing is rushed and every step taken is well thought-out and planned in detail. These are watches that are created purely for the love of watch making by two exceptionally talented craftsmen.
If you are looking for a high quality, superbly finished timepiece than look no further, you’ve just found one of the most underrated brands in the industry.
To find out more visit McGonigle’s official website – www.mcgonigle.ie
Tuscar – Technical Specifications
Calibre: McG01 manual-wind mechanical movement
Double mainspring barrels connected in parallel
Power reserve: 90 hours
Balance: free sprung balance spring with Breguet overcoil
Balance frequency: 18,000 bph/3hz.
Balance diameter 12.8mm (large diameter for timekeeping stability)
Gold escape wheel (to function without oil)
Number of jewels: 31
Case
22k white gold case and crown
Case diameter: 42.5mm
Crystals: Anti-reflective treatment on both top crystal and display back
Water resistance: 30 metres/ 3ATM
Dial & Hands
Transparent sapphire dial
Flame-blued hand-polished steel and hand-polished gold hands
Strap & Buckle
Hand engraved 18k white gold deployant buckle.
Black hand-stitched alligator
Category: New This Week, Wow Watch Wednesday
